It’s Developmental Disabilities Awareness month, and Arc Mower County is kicking it off with its Spread the Word to End the Word campaign.

Arc Mower County members will be at the Oak Park Mall from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, informing the public about their services and how to stop saying the “R” word when referring to people who are intellectually or developmentally disabled — something that can be very hurtful.

“It’s about respect,” said Jamey Helgeson, Arc program director.

He added, “Not to use the R word in public — or even in general.”

The People First AKtion Group, a branch of the Kiwanis Club, has made pamphlets, posters and organized the event — all to raise awareness to those who may not realize how damaging the R word can be.

“It’s terrible, the damage that it does to them,” said Arc’s Tammy Flicek. “They’re not taking into consideration how it feels. … It’s time people stand up and make everybody aware of it.”

The campaign is just the start of the organization’s month of awareness events — it also has a rose sale and a food and beverage tasting event later in March.

Those two events help Arc build a lot of its funding for the year, as the organization doesn’t receive any federal or state funding.

“The rose sale is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Helgeson said. “Hopefully the ‘Taste of Mower County will be somewhat equal to that, so we don’t have to do all these smaller fundraisers. We can do fewer bigger ones to raise the funds that we need.”

Helgeson added the Arc is always looking for more volunteers to fold newsletter, organize events, coach Special Olympics events and provide other services.

Throughout March, Arc is also holding its membership drive to get more volunteers. Currently about 350 people lend their time for the organization.

To learn more about the Spread the Word to End the Word event or volunteering, go to www.R-word.org or call Arc locally at 507-433-8994.